Soaking in a hot bath, especially with epsom salt, does help quite a bit when I can find the time to do it. Mom is here today and ltc just went down for a nap. So, I'm going to take one now, and hopefully it will reduce to urge to cut off my right leg, which has been killing me for a week.

I love a hot bath and find it very helpful, but my aches and pains are pretty minor.

Yes, Epsom baths can be helpful. I'd take more but it usually requires cleaning the tubs, which is not something I want to do when hurting. I don't clean the tub as much as I should, and my roommate just cleaned it for the first time since we moved in in October (and I did that super crazy deep clean). I thanked him, because I try to still be a decent human, and he was proud like a five-year who remember to flush and watch his hands. Calm down, honey.

Is half a day's worth of work a reasonable time to call it quits and rest up before my doctor's appointment? I'm hitting the wall. Not pain, just endurance. Blech.

Suzi, iIhope you rested.

The Boy is ghosting, and I'm okay with that. Moving on…

smonster - stupid ghost boy. Doesn't deserve you.

I tried to rest. Yesterday I felt pretty darned good. PT went well. Today, other than endurance, I felt pretty great. PT was more challenging, but went well. I went out to dinner with a friend and walking up the two garage steps back into my house and my hip decided it hates me yet again. I'm ready to cry. It took me forever to climb the stairs to my room and now I'm waiting for the muscle relaxant to kick in. And try not to cry.

Aw, Suzi, a setback like that is doubly frustrating. I hope the muscle relaxants do the trick.

Does soaking in hot water help any of your pains, folks with pains?

Medicinal baths are definitely my beautiful cake.

Epsom salts, baking soda and, when I've a mind, almond oil. OR, Kneipp bath oil if I'm fancy and someone has given it to me as a gift.

I totally get the squick factor, but the ease and comfort I get outweighs that for me. Plus, I make my own soft scrub (baking soda, dawn dishwashing liquid and a few drops of peppermint oil) which makes the whole scrubbing thing more enjoyable.

I honestly don't get how people live without bathtubs...which is an alarming trend these days...for so many things. But, specifically, I would not make it through the winter, or hard labor without one.

Just took one last night after some strenuous volunteering and it was a godsend.

One of my ultimate dreams is to have a soaking tub. I had one when I lived briefly in Denmark and it just about made my life.

Ugh. Therapy is bullshit and all this self-awareness BLOWS. I had a pretty sweet deal with all that repression and denial.

This shit is the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm not sorry I'm doing it, but if I knew what I was getting into when I showed up for that first appointment, I wouldn't have had the courage to do it. It's helped, and it continues to be helpful, but it's like cleaning out road rash with a wire brush sometimes. It's the only way to heal, but Jesus Christ it's so painful getting there.

And thank you all for not telling me to shut up and stop complaining.

I had a pretty sweet deal with all that repression and denial.

Preach it, Sister.